Red Bull delivered big surprise to Mercedes: 'Amazing'

Lewis Hamilton managed to overtake Max Verstappen directly at the start of the United States Grand Prix, prompting Red Bull Racing to decide to bring the Dutchman in quickly. According to Jan Lammers, this decision was the Austrians' salvation, he stated in the Formula 1 Podcast.

The former driver argues that Red Bull took the win with a clear decision. "In his first pit stop. Red Bull had chosen strategy very clearly. If they had held the lead at the start of the race, things would probably have gone differently. But Red Bull stopped early because of the situation and that surprised Mercedes," said Lammers.

Lammers therefore finds the decision incomprehensible, although Toto Wolff explained afterwards that the decision was justifiable. "If they join the lap after, then the damage is limited. I found it amazing that they drove on for so long, because that's where they sustained a lot of damage."

At the end of the race it looked like Hamilton was going to take the win. The Briton was quick to catch his rival on fresher tyres, but in the end it proved impossible to outsmart Verstappen for the second time in the race.